Wonderland Books To Open In Bethesda In December: Report

BETHESDA, MD — After the departure of Barnes and Noble and Amazon Books from downtown Bethesda in recent years, the operators of the independent bookstore Wonderland Books plan to fill the void when their shop opens in early December.

Co-owners Gayle Weiswasser and Amy Joyce of Chevy Chase said their goal is to open Dec. 6 at 7920 Norfolk Ave. in the Woodmont Triangle neighborhood.

Joyce is the Washington Post's former On Parenting writer and editor, and Weiswasser runs a blog and podcast about books, Axios DC reported.

The duo said the store will be a safe space for education and discussion.

"Community bookstores and independent bookstores play a very important role in a democracy," Weiswasser, a former lawyer and corporate communications executive, told Axios. "And as our democracy is being threatened in many ways, we want to be one of the institutions that helps to protect it."

Wonderland Books will offer books for readers of all ages. "We named it Wonderland because we believe that reading and books open worlds of wonder, no matter where in life you are," the store website says.

“Having a bookstore has always been a dream,” Weiswasser told MoCo360, which reported Barnes & Noble closed in January 2018, while Amazon Books closed in 2022. “I zeroed in on Bethesda pretty quickly because there’s no bookstore in Bethesda … it’s also just a very great fit for a bookstore. It’s a very engaged, vibrant, educated community of people who are readers.”

A bookstore offers words of hope and wisdom and books create empathy, a post to Wonderland's Facebook page on Nov. 7 noted.

"Wonderland is on its way from a rough shell of a space to a soothing, welcoming bookstore — one where you can relax and find community. Where you can ask about titles and read what books our booksellers are loving. Where you can take a minute to browse shelves full of good recipes, beautiful poetry, smart novels. Where you can help your child find the right picture book, your teen the perfect romance. Where you can hear authors and thinkers and find books that help you make sense of the world."

No hours of operation have yet been posted by the business.